By JOHN CHOLA
Ba challenged Zambians to respond to President Hakainde Hichilema’s call to get actively involved in the country’s commercial sectors such mining.
“The gemstones industry is ours as Zambians and we all have to refocus our energies towards its full exploitation. Government is doing much to ensure that a lot more citizens are trained and be the ones heading most gemstone operations in the country.”
Ba said Zambians and Africans should not sit back and leave the industry to outsiders but get involved and promote the sector.
He expressed concern that the gemstones sector continued to host some of the weakest industries in Zambia as it remained focused on small-scale mining.
“The gemstones sector has remained weak in Zambia becausethis type of mining is difficult as one has to remove millions of tonnes of rock and soil to find a vein. This industry needs a lot attention and policy support from Government,” Ba said.
The favourable change of business environment in Zambia as noticed in the last one year was likely to lure more foreign investors into the gemstones sector.
